Fairlawns Guesthouse

The food the caretaker served had a delicious, home-cooked taste. The staff were friendly, and the guest house is in a very eco-friendly location. Our rooms were clean and in good condition. I recommend my friends come and experience this guest house.

The rooms are small for the amount you pay, which was the downside. Still, the guest house is very well maintained, the staff were professional, and breakfast in the morning was pleasing. We found the stay comfortable.

On the night of 30 Dec 2023, our family of four was placed here by the agency for one night during a 10 day trip from east to west Meghalaya. It was the only property on the trip where we had problems. The building itself was well maintained, with clean paintwork and mosaic floors, but the service ruined the stay. There was no kettle in the room, and I had to argue with the boy about it. The toilet space was only about 3 feet wide, so at 6 feet tall I couldn’t sit properly and had to use it half standing. The mattress was old and stiff, and I didn’t sleep well. There was nobody available for support after 9 pm, and the manager didn’t respond or contact us before we arrived, unlike the other properties. The kitchen wasn’t operating for dinner, but nobody told us until our cab had left, so we struggled to find dinner. Breakfast was fixed at four parathas for two people, even though our booking clearly included our two kids and the agency confirmed that. After half an hour of arguing, they managed to give our kids two parathas to share. An older woman from the neighboring house helped mediate, and said the manager had messed up the whole thing. The parathas themselves weren’t bad. Even at the remotest places we stayed, service was excellent, so this place felt like the rotten apple of our 10 days in Meghalaya. It had a suite room, and I wonder what the other rooms are like. Not for families, though bachelors might manage. Keep your expectations low, be ready to fight, and don’t expect a happy vacation.

The room was much smaller than it looked in the pictures, and the TV didn’t work. Otherwise, it’s a homely guesthouse with lawns, a swing, and sofa and dining space in the hall where you can relax. The food was very well cooked, and the caretaker was available whenever needed. It’s 20 minutes from Police Bazar, which suited me because there was less noise and fewer traffic jams.